Children’s funding may not be spent on children, ombudsman warns

Finland’s Children’s Ombudsman says state grants that municipalities receive for children may be used for other purposes, Yle reports.

Municipalities decide independently how to use the grants, and funding intended for services for children and young people is not ring-fenced. The same applies to the funding received by wellbeing services counties.

“The funding model for wellbeing services counties focuses on problems that have already been identified and on the use of services. Risk factors in childhood and early support may receive too little attention and funding,” Titta Pelttari, director of services for young people and families in the Pirkanmaa wellbeing services county, said in a statement.

The Children’s Ombudsman said it is difficult to form an overall picture of the scale of public funding directed at children.

“Although a significant share of services and transfers for children and families with children is financed with public funds, it is unclear how much money from the state, municipalities and wellbeing services counties is actually spent on children, and what impact funding decisions have on children’s everyday lives,” the statement said.

This year, 11.4 billion euros is being directed to transfers and services for children and families with children. The largest categories consist of child allowances and parental allowances paid by Kela.